Central-energy alarm system.



J. G. FR'ANGIS- GENTRAL ENERGY ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 12, 1906.

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

8 SHEETS-SHEET WIITNESSES:

INVENTOR JOHN C FRANCIS.

ATTQRNEY J. 0. FRANCIS.

CENTRAL ENERGY ALARM SYSTEM. I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12, 1906. 966,897.1 Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

2 SHEETS-$113111 2.

- side elevation of the transmitter.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JOHN C. FRANCIS, OF WEST NEW YORK, NEW J'ERSEYgASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGN- JYIENTS, TO.'.UNITED ELECTRIC PROTECTION COMPANY, A CORPORATIONOF NEW YORK.

CENTRAL-ENERGY ALARM SYSTEM.

To all whom it may concern. 1 Be it known that I, JOHN C. FRANoIs, acitizen of the United States of Alnerica,

and a resident of West New York, Hudson a given station, impulsestransmitted from,

a distant station, or stations. Such systems as ordinarily constructedinclude a metallic line circuit, a transmitting device, and a tivelydistant stations. 'When an abnormal disturbance of electrical conditionsoccurs on the efl'ect of said disturbance upon the operation of thetranslating device by the transmittingdevice shall he neutralized.

lln the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 is an electrical diagram whereinthe various parts of the apparatus are conventionally and symbolicallyrepresented. Fig. 2 is a 2. Fig. 4 shows the construction of a man uallyoperated circuit closer for connecting the wires a 1).

indicate like parts.

' The source of current which is grounded may be any source, and is hererepresented by the conventional symbol of a primary battery. Forconvenience in identifying the location of an abnormal disturbance onthe circuit, the conductors are herein considered as in four sections,namely, wire aand wire 6 which include the line extending between thestations, and wire a and wire I) at the distant or local station. i

it will first describe the principal devices associated in the circuit.

Magnet B operates to open and close circuit through magnet C. As hereshown, it is normally energized by the small current on the circuit, andwhen denergized it Fig. 31s.

Speeification'of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 9 1910,, Applicationfiled November 12, 1906. Serial No. 342,961.

closes circuit through magnet C which in turn controls the opening andclosing of the line or metallic circuit.

' Magnets D and E control the signal indicating mechanism at the centralor home station. Under normal conditions both operate simultaneously. Incase of an abnormal disturbance occurring on the circuit, one or theother operates in accordance With the location of said disturbance.Magnets D, E and F are normally denergized and of sufiiciently lowresistance not to be operated by e the normal current decreased by thehigh resistance of magnet 1.

translating device usually for indicating sig- I nals, which devices maybe located at rela- Magnet F is a neutral Wound relay. When both of itscoils are energized it does not act, but becomes operative only when onecoil is energized. ltts chief function is to bring an additionalresistance into the line upon the occurrence of a ground, in order toavoid such a loss of current from bat- .tery to ground, as would notleave sufficient current to energize magnets D or F when signals aretransmitted from the distant station.

Magnet G is a pole-changer, and operates to keep the wire a at-thelocal. station always connected to the non-grounded pole of the battery.

Magnets H and H operate through two successive steps to release themechanism of I Wheel M to permit said Wheel to be rotated by its spring,and so to act as a transmitter of current impulses.

Mtagnet I has a coil of high resistance and is normally energized. Whendeenergized it operates to close certain circuits at the localSimilarnumbers and letters of reference station which, when thethermostat or hand actuated devices operate, convey currents to magnetsH H to release the transmitter wheel M.

The means for automatically setting the transmitter wheel M in operationmay be any suitably operated signal initiating instruments. In Fig. 4, Ishow a manually operated device for the purpose, and in Fig. 5, I haveindicated thermostats located between the local Wires 0:, b. i

The indicating mechanism at the home or central station is here embodiedin the glow lamps E B, F, BQU. Lamp 0 is the normal signal lamp. whichreceives signals from transmitter Wheel M. Lamp B indicates a break or aground' on the line. Lamp F indicates a ground on either wire a or b.Lamp D indicates a ound on wire a. Lamp E indicates a ground on wire I).

Magnet J is a relay and repeats the signals given by lamp to a thirdstation.

Magnet K is in relay circuit with magnet J and normally energized. Whenthis circuit is broken by magnet J, another local circuit is closed at Lto sound an alarm bell and make a record on a tape at said thirdstation.

' I will now trace the metallic line circuit.

The metallic. line circuit proceeds as follows: from battery, to magnetD, one coil of magnet F, contact 18, switch lever of magnet F, wire a,contact 21, to armature of magnet G, wire a, one pair of the brushescontrolled by cam N, magnet H around the loop of a, magnet I, contact15, loop of b,

the other pair of brushes controlled by cam N, contact 19, magnet Gr,wire I), contact 17 switch lever of magnet 'F, the other coil of magnetF, magnet E, contact 9, and magnet B to battery. The normally openbrushes controlled by transmitter wheel M extend respectively from wirea and wire bf, and when closed by wheel M bridge the circuit.

There are also the following connections:

A normally open conneetion'anol controlling switch at the homestation-This connection extends from point Z on wire a near battery topoint 10. The magnet C controls a pivoted switch lever' to establishcontact at either point 9 or point 10. p

A normally open ground connection anal means for closing same at thelocal or distant station-This connection proceeds from the pivot ofswitch lever controlled by magnet C, to magnet E,-one coil of magnet E,

wire I), and to one of the two contact brushes vcontrolled by wheel M.Said wheel is grounded through its journal bearingsat G From the otherof said brushes the connection proceeds to wire a, contact 21, wire a,contact 18, the other coil of magnet F, magnet D and battery. Thisground connection when the transmitter wheel is at rest is normallyopen. When the wheel'is set in rotation by a wound spring or in anyother suitable way, it causes the brushes to make and break contact theusual manner to intermittently open and close circuit to ground G Bysuitably constructing the wheel to make certain definite makes andbreaks in the circuit, the device becomes a transmitter of signals fromthe distant to the central station.

{in indicating apparatus for the transmatted signala-This may be of anysuitable construction capable of giving audible or visible slgnals whenimpulses are transmitted. In the present embodiment of my invention itincludes the magnets D, E, and

the glow lamps controlled thereby through connections which will beexplained in detail hereafter.

' For signaling under normal conditions the operator at the local ordistant station may release the transmitter Wheel M by means of amanually controlled device, or the same may be released by the agency ofa thermostat.

For the purpose of overcoming the effect of an abnormal disturbance onthe circuit, such as is due to a break, a crossing or a ground, thefollowing connections are also provided:

Means actuated ,by abnormal disturbance on the circuit for operatingmagnet U. Upon theoccurrence of the disturbance, such as a break, themagnet B becomes deenergized, and the pivoted switch lever controlled bysaid tnagnet beingletracted closes contact at 2. This closes thefollowing path. From battery to Y, magnet C to switch lever controlledby magnet F, point 6', contact 8, switch lever controlled by net E,contact 2, switch lever controlled by magnet B, which lever isconnected, at 1, back to battery. By reason of the deenergizing ofmagnet B and the energizin of magnet C, two leads both proceeding romthe non-grounded. pole of the battery be-' come established, through oneof which, de-

pending upon the location of the disturbance in the line, circuit may beclosed by' the transmitter M to operate the associated si nal indicatingdevice. Thus assume the a%- normal disturbance to be due to a breakoccurring in wire'a or wire a (as, for example, in the wire a). Twoleads are then established from the non-grounded pole of the battery:one of them dead, because end-- contact 17, wire I), magnet Gr, contact19,

ing at the break, the other live, because a current may be closedthrough it to ground G by the transmitter M. The dead lead terminatingat the break will roceed from battery by wire a, to magnet to one coilof magnet F to contact 18. and to break. The live lead will proceed frombattery to Z, to contact 10 to wire I) to magnet E, to one coil ofmagnet F to contact 17, wire b, magnet G, point 19, wire I), brush ofwheel M and to ground G3 when said wheel in rotating closes circuit toground. Hence, by reason of the break in wire a, conditions areestablished whereby the magnets E and F both become responsive tosignals from transmitter M and correspondingly-control the signalindicating means at the home or central station. If, on the other hand,the

break occurs in wire I) or wire I) (as, for

example, in wire b), then the dead lead will proceed from battery to Z,to contact 10, to wire 6 to magnet E to one coil of ma et F to contact17 and to break. The live cad will proceed from battery to wire a tomagnet D to one coil of magnet F to contact 18, wire a, point 21 tobrush of wheel-M and to ground G when said wheel in rotating, closescircuit to ground. Hence, by reason of the break 111' wire 6 the magnetD responds to the signals from transmitter M and correspondinglycontrols the signal indicating means. If instead of being due to a breakth abnormal disturbance is caused by a ground,

ma'gnet G, point 19, Wire b brush of wheel M and to ground G when saidwheel in rotating closes circuit to ground; It is to be noted that thislive lead is the same as that I established when a similarly situatedbreak occurs, with these differences. The relay magnet F is no longerneutral, and as it attracts its switch lever, circuit is broken at thecontacts-18, 17 and 6, and closed at 11. The current path is then frombattery to magnet C, connection 7, contact 11, contact 12, switch leverof magnet D to connection 4: to contact 2, switch lever of magnet 13,connection 1 and so to battery. The resistances R R are no longershunted. The resistance R in the impaired lead cuts down the loss ofcurrent on that lead, so that suffioient current is caused to. flow inthe live lead to operate the mechanism. The resist ance R in the livelead now performs no function, but as it is Very small compared to thewholeresistance on that lead, it does no harm.

Assume the ground to occur in wire 6.

The impaired lead is then from battery to Z,.contact- 10, wire I),magnet E to one coil of magnetF ,to resistance R to ground, and

, so back to grounded pole of battery. The

live lead is from battery to wire a, magnet D, to one coil of magnet F,resistance lit, wire a, point 21, to brush of wheel M and to ground Gwhen said wheel in rotating closes circuit to ground. The resistanceconditions are the converse of those already Z), magnets D and E areenergized so that stated. It is evident also that one of these' leads,as before, includes the magnet D, and the other, the magnet E, and thatcurrent beingestablished through one of saidleads actuates either themagnet 'D or E, and hence the indicating means associated with, saidmagnet. I

In the case of a cross between wire a and they cannot respond toimpulses from wheel M. The magnet T at the local station beingdenergized, closes contacts 15., 16, thus grounding wire I) at G As aconsequence of the ground at the battery and at G ,"'magnets E and Bwill fail. The failing of B, as before, closes-circuit through(L-opening contact 9 and closing contact 10, thus forming two parallelleads, both impaired to the between a and b. Une lead is from battery toZ, to magnet D, one coil of magnet F,. contact 18, wire a, over thecross to wire' b magnet G, contact 20, wire a, to brush 0%, transmitterwheel M. The other lead pro-. ceeds from battery to Z, contact 10,magnet E, one coil of magnet F, contact 17, wire I), magnet G, contact20, wire a and the same brush of wheel M. \Vhen the transmitter wheel isactuated the relays D, E and F all respond in unison.

The circuit at the distant station includes the wire a and b and may beconsidered as beginning at the switch lever of magnet G and ending atcontact 19.. In this circuit,

the non-grounded' pole of the battery.

The high resistance coil on magnet I re- 'extent of being tied togetherby the cross duces the current on the whole circuit sutfimuch as toprevent the efiicient energizing of magnet B. I

I will assume that there are to be several points at the local stationfrom which the system may be set in operation, either by hand orautomatically. To this end, in Fig. 1 I show the wires a and b in theform of elliptical loops, the loop of a surrounding the loop of b.Across these loops I show, diagrammatically a number of circuit'closingthermostats, or I may use a device such as shown in Fig. 1 and describedhereafter in detail. When a crossing is effected between the loops of aand b either by a thermostat or by the hand device, magnet T isdeenergized, thereby opening'contact 15 and closmgcontacts 16 and 14.Current then-proceeds from switch lever of magnet G to point X,'tomagnet H, loop of a, and to the circuit closer at the crossing; and also'is now operated to break the circuit on wire a at the point ofconnectionon said line.

- That deenergizes magnets H .and H and as a result the transmitterwheel is released, so that it can be rotated by its spriiig to sendcurrent impulses over the line.

The above-described operation ofthe art of the circuit at the localstation, inclu ing wires c and 6', applies to all conditions transmittedby wheel M.

The lamp This is controlled by magnets D, E and F. The system being innormal condition the first closing of circuit to ground by wheel M,denergizes magnet B, which closes circuit through magnet O to producethe parallel leads already described. Magnets D, E and F are thenenergized.

The switch levers of D, E, F are thus operated to close contact 26 at D,25 at E, and 24 at F. The local circuit here shown as including anadditional battery proceeds as follows: from battery to switch lever ofmagnet E, to contact 25, to lamp 0 and back to local battery. Also fromlocal battery tov switch lever of magnet'D, to contact 26, to lamp 0 andback to local battery. Also from local battery, to switch lever ofmagnet F, to contact 24, to lamp 0 and back to local battery. Hence thecurrent impulses from wheel M vary the condition of the light of lamp 0,conformably to said matic device,

impulses, and so produce a predetermined visual signal.

' The lamp B is controlled as follows: Upon a break or ground occurring,magnet B fails, as already described. Its switch lever closes contact28. The circuit then proceeds from local battery to switch lever ofmagnet B, to contact 28, to lamp B and back to local battery.

The lamp F is controlled as follows: Upon the occurrence of a ground onthe line, the magnet F becomes energized, as already described, thusclosing circuit at 23. The circuit then proceeds from local battery toswitch lever of magnet F, to contact 23, to lamp F and back to localbattery.

The lamp D is controlled as follows: A ground on line a energizes magnetD and closes contactat 27. The circuit then proceeds fromlocal batteryto switch lever of magnetD to contact 27, to lamp D and back to localbattery.

The lamp E is controlled as follows: A. ground on wire I) energizesmagnet E and closes contact '29. The circuit roceeds from local batteryto switch lever o magnet E to contact 29, to lamp E and back-to localbattery.

The magnet J being bridged'across lamp O, repeats the impulses tomagnetK at another station with which it is in local circuit includin anotherbattery. At said third stationt e signalsare audibly produced by a bell,and recorded byany suitable autoas indicated in the drawing, Flg. 1.

I have-shown a duplicate set of lamps and magnet J, to indicate thatanother main line circuit may be connected to the magnet K so that bothsystems will send in signals which will be rendered audible and recordedat one final station.

To prevent the respective switch levers of magnets D, E, F from closingtheir final stop contacts when energized by quick 1mpulses produced bywheel M, the movement of said levers may be retarded by fans D, E or Fon said levers.

I will now describe the transmitter at the local station H: I

H and H are the actuating magnets having armatures a and a which arepivoted at b and Z)*. The levers 0 and 0 which are attached to thearmaturcs a and a carry the pawls cl cl and d at. These pawls engage inthe ratchet wheels 0 and 0. The wheels 0 and c, and the lever 71. arefastened rigidly to the shaft The train of wheels 9 g and 9 have anescapement i which is normally locked by the lever It, and j is a stopwhich looks the movement when g has made one revolution. The normallyopen spring contactsic and k are connected respectively to each memberof the circuit, and when the transmitter wheel M revolved, arealternately closed and opened. The normally closed spring contacts Z andZ and m m are operated by cam N to automatically open both members ofthe circuit between the transmitter and the house circuit while thetransmitter is running, so thatany local circuit troubles cannot affectthe transmission of fire signals. The knob and pointer p are for thepurpose of resetting the lever it. When either of the magnets H or H orboth together, receive an impulse of current, the ratchet wheel 0 willbe moved one tooth, thus placing the lever 71. in the position shown bydotted lines it, and when either H or H, or both, become deenergized,the ratchet wheel 0 will be moved another tooth,which places the lever71 in the position shown by dotted line 7L thus unlocking the escapement2', and allowing the movement to trans mit the alarm by wheel M andsprings and 70, connectedto wires a and 6 respectively.

Fig. 4 shows an actuating device for manually closing circuit acrosswires a, b, in which the terminals of wire (1 connect to springs f and athrough lever B. The wire I) is attached to the spring g and continueson without opening the circuit. The operation of pulling down the hookof lever R first establishes the cross between f e and g and when thelever is pulled all the way down to meet stop 8, the cross is broken anda break in. wire a is opened between f and 6,

I claim: y 1. The combma'tion of a normally grounded current'source, anormally closed line cirsaid ground connection: said disturbance opteaser connection, a ground connection from line located between saidswitch and said nongrounded pole, means for controlling circuit to saidground connection, means actuated by an abnormal disturbance ofelectrical conditions on the circuit for operating said switch andsignal indicating devices in circuit respectively located on oppositesides of erating said switch to close said first named normally openconnection and break said line circuit, and thereby establishing .acurrent path around said disturbance to said ground connection, so thatthereafter the subsequent controlling of circuit to said groundconnection by said controlling means shall operate the indicating devicein saidcurrent path.

grounded at one pole, a metallic circuit normally energized by saidsource,xa ground connect-ion for said circuit, a circuit closer in saidground connection, a translating de vice controlled by said circuitcloser, and means operated by an abnormal disturbance of electricalconditions on the circuit for automatically neutralizing the effect ofsaid disturbance upon the operation of said translating device by saidcircuit closer.

3. The combination of a grounded source of current, a linecircuit,signal indicating means, means actuated upon the occurrence of a groundon the line and by said ground for establishing current leads from thenongrounded pole of the source of current, one of said leads beingconnected through ground back to battery, and a transmitter operatingthrough the other of saidleads to actuate said indicating means.

4. The combination of a grounded source of current, a line circuit,signal indicating means, means actuated upon the occurrence of a groundon the line and by said ground for establishing current leads from thenongrounded pole of the source of current, both of said leads beingconnected through ground back to battery, and a transmitter operatingthrough one of said leads to actuat'esaid indicating means.

5. The combinatlon of a grounded source of current, a line circuit,signal indicating through said leads to actuate said indicating means. v

6. The combination of a grounded source of current, a line circuit,signal indicating means, means actuated upon the occurrence 2. Thecombination of a source of current of a crossing in the line and by saidcrossing for establishing current leads from the nongrounded pole of thesource of current, and a transmitter for sending current impulsesthrough said leads to actuate said indicating means. v

7. The combination of a source of current, a line circuit, signalindicating means, signal transmitting means located at a distantstation, means operated by an abnormal disturbance of electricalconditions on the circuit for automatically restoring the electricalrelations bet-ween said transmitting and receiving meanschanged by saiddisturbance, and, at said distant station, a polechanger for keeping thelive leads of said current connected with the non-grounded pole of saidcurrent source.

8. The combination of a source of current grounded at one pole, anormally closed metallic circuit including said source, a translatingdevice in said circuit, a ground connectionfrom said circuit,atransmitter in said ground connection, and means operated by anabnormal disturbance in the electrical conditions on said circuit .forestablishing a new current lead around the disturbance point and fromthe non-groundedpole of said source to said transmitter.

9. The combination of a source of current grounded at one pole, anormally closed me tallic circuit including said source, a transthenon-grounded pole ofcsaid source to said transmitter.

10. The combination of a source of our rent grounded at one pole, anormally closed metallic circuit including said source, a trans' latingdevice in said circuit, a ground connection from said circuit, atransmitter in said ground connection, a normally open shunt across saidmetallic circuit, and means operated by an abnormal disturbance in theelectrical conditions on said metallic circuit for opening said metalliccircuit and closing circuit through said shunt from the non groundedpole of said source to said transmitter. a

11. The combination of a source of current, a metallic circuit normallyenergized thereby, a plurality of translating devices, and meansoperated by an abnormal d sturbance of electrical conditions on thec1rcuit for. establishing current leads including '1 combination of asame 61? curling said indicating devices Selectively t6 rent, a metalliccircuit normally energized lndicate the character bf the disturbance; 10thereby, atransmitter, a translating device Signed by me at New Yorkcity this tenth controlled by said transmitter, a plurality day ofNovember, 1906;

of abnormal disturbance indicating devices, JOHN C. FRANCIS. and meansoperated by an abnormal dis- Witnesses: turbance of electricalconditions on the cir- SAMUEL W. BALCH,

cuit for establishing current leads control- HUGH H. SENIOR.

